Conventionally, water which drains from a sink or basin, such as a restroom sink, travels through the drain opening of the sink and empties into undersink piping. The undersink piping directs the water from the sink into the building's waste water system. The undersink drain piping is commonly referred to as a "P-trap" drain assembly, and "P-trap" assemblies are common to many sinks in both commercial and residential applications.
The P-trap assembly generally includes a vertical pipe section which extends downwardly from the sink drain opening and extends below the sink to couple with a J-shaped pipe section. The J-shaped pipe section makes a 180.degree. bend and then extends vertically upward to couple with an L-shaped pipe section which makes a 90.degree. bend from the J-shaped section to extend generally horizontally into the wall to connect the P-trap with the waste water system of the building. The P-trap creates a vapor barrier preventing undesirable vapors from passing back into the building through the drain piping. The J-shaped section also serves the purpose of capturing or trapping any foreign objects which fall down the drain and which may become lodged in the waste water drainage system therefore clogging the system, hence the name "P-trap". Under the force of gravity, any foreign objects will sit in the bottom of the J-shaped section to be subsequently removed, such as by a plumber.
Also extending below sinks are hot and cold water supply pipes commonly referred to as supply water angle valves, which include supply line sections which extend generally horizontally from the wall to connect to a valve and faucet line sections that extend generally vertically upward from the valve to connect to the sink faucet apparatus.
Current building regulations require that restroom facilities in a public building, such as restroom sinks, be accessible to all people, including disabled persons and particularly those disabled persons who must use a wheelchair. Persons in wheelchairs must usually maneuver the chair partially under a restroom sink to access it. Since the water supply pipes and P-trap drain pipes protrude from the wall under the sink, there is a risk of abrasions to the person's legs from the hard piping or even burns from the temperature of the piping caused by the water passing therethrough. The current federal and state regulations regarding undersink piping, most notably the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), require that the P-trap and water supply piping be covered and insulated so as to protect a person using the sink from being burned or from incurring injuries from impact with the piping. As a result of these regulations, various methods and apparatuses have been utilized to try and adequately cover and insulate undersink P-traps and water supply piping.
In the past, one of the more popular methods of insulation was to utilize loose foam insulation which was wrapped around the piping. However, traditional foam insulation usually fits poorly and is difficult to secure resulting in wasted time and frustration by the plumber or other installer. Furthermore, the foam wrap, due to its poor fit and inadequate securing means, is not very aesthetically pleasing in its appearance. Additionally, the ribbed construction of a wrapped pipe leaves ridges and cavities which trap dirt and other bacteria under the sink.
Various other methods and apparatuses have been utilized to cover a P-trap and supply piping beneath a sink as is evidenced by various patents in the field. While many such devices adequately insulate the pipes, they have various drawbacks. For example many of these other devices and methods are difficult and time consuming to secure and use.
Securement of the devices around the drain piping is of particular importance because it is generally one of the more time consuming steps, and thus one of the more expensive steps, of the installation process. For example, many of the prior art devices for covering undersink pipes are slit for being spread apart and positioned around the pipes. A series of aligned holes are positioned on either side of the slit and fasteners are placed through the holes and secured to hold the insulation pieces in place. One popular fastener for such a purpose is an elongated piece which is threaded through the holes and which ratchets tight as one end is pulled through the other end, commonly referred to as a "cable tie". Another elongated fastener, which is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,392, includes an end clamping piece which is pulled through the holes until it snaps into place while spanning the slit. A portion of the fastener is then broken away from the clamping piece which holds the slit closed. Another fastening structure is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,463 which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
One particular drawback is that many of the prior art fasteners are separate from the insulation pieces and may become separated therefrom before or during installation. Since currently used fasteners are somewhat small, they are particularly susceptible to being lost or misplaced. As may be appreciated, an installer will have to maintain an adequate supply of fasteners and if they are lost or if the installer's supply runs out, they will have to look for more or obtain more before completing the installation. This significantly slows down the installation process and increases the overall cost of installation.
Improper installation is also a problem, since a separate fastener is required for each pair of aligned holes in the insulation piece for proper installation. If sufficient fasteners are not available, the installer may be tempted to make the installation without a fastener for each hole. Such a scenario is particularly likely if the installer has lost some of the fasteners. Skipping one or more holes may leave an exposed portion of the undersink piping, thereby partially defeating the purpose of the insulation pieces. Improper installation also makes the installation look sloppy and unappealing.
An additional drawback of existing fastening structures is that they are exposed once the installation is completed. The multiple cable ties or other fasteners stick out away from the cover pieces and thus may further make the installation look sloppy and improperly installed. This draws away from the aesthetic look of the insulation. Furthermore, the fasteners provide areas for dust and germs to collect on the insulation.
Another problem with existing undersink insulation products is that they are difficult to remove once installed. Prior art fastening structures are designed for permanent installation and generally cannot be undone without breaking the fastener. If work must be done on the undersink piping, the fasteners have to be cut or broken away to allow removal of the insulation pieces from the pipes. Thus, new fasteners will often be necessary for re-installing the insulation. Since the plumber doing the work on the pipes is probably not the one who originally installed the insulation, it is unlikely that he would have the necessary fasteners readily available. Therefore, he will have to find additional fasteners or leave the pipes uninsulated. The first alternative, and time associated therewith, increases the expense of the plumbing repair, the latter alternative is unacceptable.
Therefore, it is an objective of this invention to eliminate or reduce the drawbacks associated with prior art insulation devices for covering undersink piping. It is particularly an objective to address the drawbacks associated with prior art fastening structures for undersink insulation.
It is an objective of the invention to eliminate the need for a large number of separate fastening structures for securing insulation pieces to the pipe. It is specifically an objective to reduce the hassle and time required to install the insulation pieces and to thus increase the cost efficiency and reduce the overall costs of the installation process.
It is another objective of the invention to improve the overall aesthetics of the insulation pieces.
It is still another objective to reduce the capture of dirt and germs by the pieces and fasteners and to therefore provide a cleaner, more sanitary bathroom environment.
It is an objective of the invention to ensure proper installation and to eliminate gaps in the insulation pieces and exposure of portions of the pipes.
It is another objective to simplify the removal of undersink insulation pieces to provide access to the piping and to provide easy re-insulation of the piping.